PM Modi arrives in Oman on final leg of three-nation tour

Muscat [Oman], December 17 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Oman on Wednesday on the final leg of his three-nation four-day tour after concluding his visits to Jordan and Ethiopia.
Earlier in the day, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali accorded a rare honour to PM Modi by personally driving him to the airport for his departure to Oman.
Abiy shared a message on social media after the departure, saying, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, I hope we will get an opportunity to meet again. Our nations will always be connected by historical, cultural and diplomatic ties."
PM Modi is visiting Oman at the invitation of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. During the visit, the two leaders are expected to hold discussions on strengthening the Strategic Partnership and expanding cooperation in commercial and economic sectors.
The Oman visit coincides with India and Oman marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and follows the state visit of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to India in December 2023.
PM Modi is scheduled to address members of the Indian diaspora in Oman. This will be his second visit to the Gulf nation.
In an earlier statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "This visit will be an opportunity for both sides to comprehensively review the bilateral partnership, including in the areas of trade, investment, energy, defence, security, technology, agriculture and culture as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest."
PM Modi's Ethiopia visit, his first to the East African nation, marked a key moment in bilateral relations as India and Ethiopia elevated their long-standing ties to the level of a 'Strategic Partnership'.
The visit featured wide-ranging discussions between PM Modi and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, followed by the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding across multiple sectors.
These agreements spanned cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Operations Training, Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters, and the establishment of a Data Centre at Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In addition, both sides announced measures including debt restructuring under the G20 framework, an increase in Indian Council for Cultural Relations scholarships, AI short courses for Ethiopians, and collaboration in maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Beyond bilateral agreements, PM Modi's engagements in Ethiopia also included addressing a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament, where he described India and Ethiopia as "natural partners" in promoting regional peace, security and connectivity.
It marked the 18th parliament worldwide addressed by PM Modi.
Following the parliamentary address, PM Modi shared a post on X, stating, "Delighted to have interacted with Ministers and MPs of Ethiopia after my address to the Ethiopian Parliament."
PM Modi was also conferred with Ethiopia's highest civilian honour, The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia, becoming the first global head of state to receive the award.
He also planted a sapling at the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives under India's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative and Ethiopia's Green Legacy initiative.
Sharing details of the plantation drive, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X, "Two nations, two traditions, one shared promise to honour our Mother Earth and build a greener future."
Earlier, PM Modi highlighted the outcomes of his Ethiopia visit, describing the signing of multiple agreements as a "significant" step towards deepening a bilateral partnership focused on "growth and people-centric development". (ANI)